The tax will rise from 38.143 cents per litre to 38.6 cents per litre, seeing revenue of $4 billion over a four year period. This means a household consuming 50 litres of fuel a week will pay an extra 40 cents a week. Read more...

The tax will rise from 38.143 cents per litre to 38.6 cents per litre, seeing revenue of $4 billion over a four year period. This means a household consuming 50 litres of fuel a week will pay an extra 40 cents a week. Read more...

TORONTO — John Tory has been elected the new mayor of Toronto in a race that was nearly overshadowed by the personal problems of current outgoing Mayor Rob Ford.

Tory, 60, had a comfortable lead going into Monday's election, with the latest poll from Forum Research giving him a commanding 12-point lead over closest rival Doug Ford. According to the poll, Tory had 44% support and Ford attracted 32%, while only 21% supported Olivia Chow, an early frontrunner whose campaign eventually unraveled. Only 3% said they would vote for another candidate.

TORONTO — John Tory has been elected the new mayor of Toronto in a race that was nearly overshadowed by the personal problems of current outgoing Mayor Rob Ford.

Tory, 60, had a comfortable lead going into Monday's election, with the latest poll from Forum Research giving him a commanding 12-point lead over closest rival Doug Ford. According to the poll, Tory had 44% support and Ford attracted 32%, while only 21% supported Olivia Chow, an early frontrunner whose campaign eventually unraveled. Only 3% said they would vote for another candidate.

Residents of the village of Pāhoa in Hawaii are preparing for evacuations, as lava moves dangerously close to homes. The lava flow from the Kīlauea volcano was just 100 yards from the nearest home as of Monday morning

The Puna lava flow speeded its descent down a sloping hillside over the weekend, covering a roadway and moving across a cemetery.

Residents of the village of Pāhoa in Hawaii are preparing for evacuations, as lava moves dangerously close to homes. The lava flow from the Kīlauea volcano was just 100 yards from the nearest home as of Monday morning

The Puna lava flow speeded its descent down a sloping hillside over the weekend, covering a roadway and moving across a cemetery.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new guidelines for monitoring incoming travelers from West Africa for the Ebola virus. The guidelines go as far as potentially issuing a "do not travel" order to persons who are at high risk of Ebola, including those who cared for sick individuals without protective equipment or who suffered from a known exposure while treating someone.

The guidelines, some of which were announced on Oct. 22, call for "direct, active monitoring" of those individuals who have been assessed to be at some risk or high risk of developing the illness for 21 days, which is the longest known incubation period of the disease Read more...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new guidelines for monitoring incoming travelers from West Africa for the Ebola virus. The guidelines go as far as potentially issuing a "do not travel" order to persons who are at high risk of Ebola, including those who cared for sick individuals without protective equipment or who suffered from a known exposure while treating someone.

The guidelines, some of which were announced on Oct. 22, call for "direct, active monitoring" of those individuals who have been assessed to be at some risk or high risk of developing the illness for 21 days, which is the longest known incubation period of the disease Read more...

The Islamic State seems to have found a new role for its British hostage, photojournalist John Cantlie.

The militant group's media arm released a new propaganda video on Monday that appears to show Cantlie, who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012, "reporting" from the embattled Syrian city of Kobani, near the Turkish border.

It's widely assumed that Cantlie, who's appeared in at least five propaganda videos since he disappeared, is reading from remarks that were prepared by his captors. Having rid the region of all independent journalists, it appears the group is now attempting to broadcast its own twisted form of journalism. Read more...

The Islamic State seems to have found a new role for its British hostage, photojournalist John Cantlie.

The militant group's media arm released a new propaganda video on Monday that appears to show Cantlie, who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012, "reporting" from the embattled Syrian city of Kobani, near the Turkish border.

It's widely assumed that Cantlie, who's appeared in at least five propaganda videos since he disappeared, is reading from remarks that were prepared by his captors. Having rid the region of all independent journalists, it appears the group is now attempting to broadcast its own twisted form of journalism. Read more...

People with a rare disorder called anhidrosis cannot produce sweat, and now a new study finds that the condition may be caused by a mutation in a single gene.

Researchers studied a Pakistani family with several children who could not sweat. The condition can be dangerous because an inability to sweat puts a person at higher risk for heatstroke when temperatures are high.

Anhidrosis can have several causes; for example, it can result from damage to sweat glands caused by trauma or developmental conditions. But the five children in the study, whose parents were relatives, had sweat glands that appeared normal Read more...

People with a rare disorder called anhidrosis cannot produce sweat, and now a new study finds that the condition may be caused by a mutation in a single gene.

Researchers studied a Pakistani family with several children who could not sweat. The condition can be dangerous because an inability to sweat puts a person at higher risk for heatstroke when temperatures are high.

Anhidrosis can have several causes; for example, it can result from damage to sweat glands caused by trauma or developmental conditions. But the five children in the study, whose parents were relatives, had sweat glands that appeared normal Read more...

Global warming-related sea ice melt in a portion of the vast Arctic Ocean has doubled the risk of colder and snowier winters in Eurasia since 2004, a new study found. The study is the latest in a spate of recent research to examine the ties between rapid Arctic warming and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere

Much of that research is still highly contentious in the mainstream climate science community. Here is what scientists agree on:

The Arctic is warming at a rate about twice as fast as that of the rest of the globe, and this is rapidly depleting the region's sea ice, mainly during the summer and early fall. Read more...

Global warming-related sea ice melt in a portion of the vast Arctic Ocean has doubled the risk of colder and snowier winters in Eurasia since 2004, a new study found. The study is the latest in a spate of recent research to examine the ties between rapid Arctic warming and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere

Much of that research is still highly contentious in the mainstream climate science community. Here is what scientists agree on:

The Arctic is warming at a rate about twice as fast as that of the rest of the globe, and this is rapidly depleting the region's sea ice, mainly during the summer and early fall. Read more...

Napoléon Bonaparte's final defeat was the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Even after his death in 1821, the surviving soldiers of Grande Armée revered his historic leadership. Each year on May 5, the anniversary of Napoléon's death, the veterans marched to Paris' Place Vendôme in full uniform to pay respects to their emperor

These photographs were taken on one of these occasions, possibly in 1858. All the men — at this time in their 70s and 80s — are wearing the Saint Helena medals, issued in August 1857 to all veterans of the wars of the revolution and the empire.

These are the only surviving images of veterans of the Grande Armée and the Guard actually wearing their original uniforms and insignia Read more...

Napoléon Bonaparte's final defeat was the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Even after his death in 1821, the surviving soldiers of Grande Armée revered his historic leadership. Each year on May 5, the anniversary of Napoléon's death, the veterans marched to Paris' Place Vendôme in full uniform to pay respects to their emperor

These photographs were taken on one of these occasions, possibly in 1858. All the men — at this time in their 70s and 80s — are wearing the Saint Helena medals, issued in August 1857 to all veterans of the wars of the revolution and the empire.

These are the only surviving images of veterans of the Grande Armée and the Guard actually wearing their original uniforms and insignia Read more...

Hungary's government wants to tax Internet data, and thousands of citizens responded to the plan by swarming the streets of the capital on Sunday night.

Around 10,000 people turned up in Budapest to protest the proposal, which would tax Internet providers 150 Hungarian forints (around $0.60) per gigabyte of traffic they serve to users. The protesters, who mainly organized through a Facebook group that has almost 220,000 likes, are afraid that providers will push the cost of the tax down to customers, limiting Internet access and hurting freedom of speech.

Hungary's government wants to tax Internet data, and thousands of citizens responded to the plan by swarming the streets of the capital on Sunday night.

Around 10,000 people turned up in Budapest to protest the proposal, which would tax Internet providers 150 Hungarian forints (around $0.60) per gigabyte of traffic they serve to users. The protesters, who mainly organized through a Facebook group that has almost 220,000 likes, are afraid that providers will push the cost of the tax down to customers, limiting Internet access and hurting freedom of speech.

Eruptions on the sun's surface are probably caused by giant, unstable magnetic plasma arches, a new study reports — a discovery that brings scientists one step closer to predicting solar outbursts that can wreak havoc on Earth.

Astronomers have long observed gigantic arches of plasma emerging from the surface of the sun. Known as magnetic flux ropes, coronal loops and solar prominences, these structures possess spiraling magnetic field lines, as if a huge bar magnet had been twisted into a corkscrew. A vast amount of electric current typically runs through the core of each of these tubes.

Scientists have long thought magnetic flux ropes drive powerful solar explosions such as coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, which can spawn geomagnetic storms that damage satellites in space and disrupt power grids on Earth Read more...

Eruptions on the sun's surface are probably caused by giant, unstable magnetic plasma arches, a new study reports — a discovery that brings scientists one step closer to predicting solar outbursts that can wreak havoc on Earth.

Astronomers have long observed gigantic arches of plasma emerging from the surface of the sun. Known as magnetic flux ropes, coronal loops and solar prominences, these structures possess spiraling magnetic field lines, as if a huge bar magnet had been twisted into a corkscrew. A vast amount of electric current typically runs through the core of each of these tubes.

Scientists have long thought magnetic flux ropes drive powerful solar explosions such as coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, which can spawn geomagnetic storms that damage satellites in space and disrupt power grids on Earth Read more...

LONDON — British Prime Minister David Cameron has turned down a UK fashion magazine’s request to be photographed in a T-shirt with the slogan “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” despite other political leaders and personalities opting to wear the garment.

UK Elle asked Cameron to wear the T-shirt for the magazine's inaugural feminism issue, due out this month but the magazine said he refused five times. When asked why he wouldn’t wear the T-shirt, the magazine said the prime minister’s team offered to give a quote instead

LONDON — British Prime Minister David Cameron has turned down a UK fashion magazine’s request to be photographed in a T-shirt with the slogan “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” despite other political leaders and personalities opting to wear the garment.

UK Elle asked Cameron to wear the T-shirt for the magazine's inaugural feminism issue, due out this month but the magazine said he refused five times. When asked why he wouldn’t wear the T-shirt, the magazine said the prime minister’s team offered to give a quote instead

Prosecutors also requested life sentences for three other key crew members during a trial at the Gwangju District Court in southern South Korea, a court official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media about the sentence requests. He said prosecutors asked for sentences of up to 30 years for 11 other crew members. Read more...

Prosecutors also requested life sentences for three other key crew members during a trial at the Gwangju District Court in southern South Korea, a court official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media about the sentence requests. He said prosecutors asked for sentences of up to 30 years for 11 other crew members. Read more...

Gubernatorial races don't get a lot of national attention, which makes sense, because a governor's influence doesn't often extend beyond his or her state. But that doesn't mean that a person in California can't learn anything by watching the race for governor in, say, Wisconsin

We're not saying races for governor necessarily deserve more attention than the ones for Senate, but some gubernatorial elections are worth keeping an eye on no matter where you live

Gubernatorial races don't get a lot of national attention, which makes sense, because a governor's influence doesn't often extend beyond his or her state. But that doesn't mean that a person in California can't learn anything by watching the race for governor in, say, Wisconsin

We're not saying races for governor necessarily deserve more attention than the ones for Senate, but some gubernatorial elections are worth keeping an eye on no matter where you live

TORONTO — A gunman who shot and killed a soldier at Canada's national war memorial and then stormed Parliament before he was gunned down had prepared a video recording of himself that police say shows he was driven by ideological and political motives, police said Sunday.

TORONTO — A gunman who shot and killed a soldier at Canada's national war memorial and then stormed Parliament before he was gunned down had prepared a video recording of himself that police say shows he was driven by ideological and political motives, police said Sunday.

SYDNEY — An Australian guy is planning to take over the United States with his after-party app targeted at wild college students.

29-year-old former investment banker Charlie Stewart is the founder of KickOn, an app that he is planning to get into the hands of every college student in America.

With his new Chief Party Officer, Chanel Silo, on board, Stewart will hit up seven colleges across four states over a period of three months. He also expects this number to grow as he networks across the country

College students in the U.S. can apply to get their party sponsored with $2000 from the company, allowing them to ramp up their celebration to epic proportions. It is a smart marketing tactic, due to the huge popularity of house and frat parties in the U.S. Read more...

SYDNEY — An Australian guy is planning to take over the United States with his after-party app targeted at wild college students.

29-year-old former investment banker Charlie Stewart is the founder of KickOn, an app that he is planning to get into the hands of every college student in America.

With his new Chief Party Officer, Chanel Silo, on board, Stewart will hit up seven colleges across four states over a period of three months. He also expects this number to grow as he networks across the country

College students in the U.S. can apply to get their party sponsored with $2000 from the company, allowing them to ramp up their celebration to epic proportions. It is a smart marketing tactic, due to the huge popularity of house and frat parties in the U.S. Read more...

The electrical storm kicked off at around 2 a.m. and continued through to sunrise, with a barrage of lightning strikes illuminating the city skyline

The freak weather event resulted in 26 millimetres of rain, Melbourne's heaviest rainfall in over a year, and led to flash flooding in parts of the city. Planes were grounded at the airport, while morning commuters were stuck in limbo as a power surge disrupted the metropolitan train network Read more...

The electrical storm kicked off at around 2 a.m. and continued through to sunrise, with a barrage of lightning strikes illuminating the city skyline

The freak weather event resulted in 26 millimetres of rain, Melbourne's heaviest rainfall in over a year, and led to flash flooding in parts of the city. Planes were grounded at the airport, while morning commuters were stuck in limbo as a power surge disrupted the metropolitan train network Read more...

SYDNEY — Three Australian men attempted to enter Parliament House in Canberra on Monday morning to protest the wearing of the burqa. The controversial trio have a history of anti-multiculturalism incidents that date back a number of years.

The men identified as Sergio Redegalli, Nick Folkes and Victor Waterson wore three different face coverings, a Ku Klux Klan mask, a niqab and a motorcycle helmet, as they took their protest to the government site

SYDNEY — Three Australian men attempted to enter Parliament House in Canberra on Monday morning to protest the wearing of the burqa. The controversial trio have a history of anti-multiculturalism incidents that date back a number of years.

The men identified as Sergio Redegalli, Nick Folkes and Victor Waterson wore three different face coverings, a Ku Klux Klan mask, a niqab and a motorcycle helmet, as they took their protest to the government site

The U.S. government uses them to bomb alleged terrorists in far-away places. Tech companies including Amazon, Google and Facebook are all toying with the idea of using them, and now they're a photographer's secret weapon. Drones are a big part of our lives, whether we see them or not. Drone Beat collects the best and most important stories every week.

If you want even more on Drones, subscribe to the Center for the Study of the Drone Weekly Roundup, which features news, commentary, analysis and updates on drone technology.

Drone Beat's coverage areas

Editorial note: This edition of Drone Beat covers the last two weeks. Read more...

The U.S. government uses them to bomb alleged terrorists in far-away places. Tech companies including Amazon, Google and Facebook are all toying with the idea of using them, and now they're a photographer's secret weapon. Drones are a big part of our lives, whether we see them or not. Drone Beat collects the best and most important stories every week.

If you want even more on Drones, subscribe to the Center for the Study of the Drone Weekly Roundup, which features news, commentary, analysis and updates on drone technology.

Drone Beat's coverage areas

Editorial note: This edition of Drone Beat covers the last two weeks. Read more...

The new policy will allow medical staff who have worked with Ebola patients overseas and are not currently exhibiting symptoms to return to their homes, where they will remain under quarantine for 21 days as health officials monitor their condition

The new policy will allow medical staff who have worked with Ebola patients overseas and are not currently exhibiting symptoms to return to their homes, where they will remain under quarantine for 21 days as health officials monitor their condition

DONETSK, Ukraine –- Ukrainians rushed to the polls on Sunday in historic elections in which they ushered in a pro-Western parliament that, for the first time ever, will not include the Communist Party, exit polls indicate

DONETSK, Ukraine –- Ukrainians rushed to the polls on Sunday in historic elections in which they ushered in a pro-Western parliament that, for the first time ever, will not include the Communist Party, exit polls indicate

The White House is urging New York and New Jersey to lift its mandatory quarantine for medical workers returning to the U.S. from West African countries plagued by Ebola, according to a new report

Just a few hours after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he stands by the states' decision to isolate those considered "high risk," the Obama administration is requesting a policy reversal, the New York Timesreported, citing an anonymous official

The senior administration official told the newspaper that the decision was “uncoordinated, very hurried, an immediate reaction to the New York City case that doesn’t comport with science.” Read more...

The White House is urging New York and New Jersey to lift its mandatory quarantine for medical workers returning to the U.S. from West African countries plagued by Ebola, according to a new report

Just a few hours after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he stands by the states' decision to isolate those considered "high risk," the Obama administration is requesting a policy reversal, the New York Timesreported, citing an anonymous official

The senior administration official told the newspaper that the decision was “uncoordinated, very hurried, an immediate reaction to the New York City case that doesn’t comport with science.” Read more...

A nurse quarantined in New Jersey after arriving home from treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone is speaking out against the "prison"-like living conditions she's endured throughout her time in isolation.

"This is an extreme that is really unacceptable, and I feel like my basic human rights have been violated," Kaci Hickox told CNN on Sunday. "To put me through this emotional and physical stress is completely unacceptable."

A nurse quarantined in New Jersey after arriving home from treating Ebola patients in Sierra Leone is speaking out against the "prison"-like living conditions she's endured throughout her time in isolation.

"This is an extreme that is really unacceptable, and I feel like my basic human rights have been violated," Kaci Hickox told CNN on Sunday. "To put me through this emotional and physical stress is completely unacceptable."

The Sith Lord, a candidate in Ukraine’s parliamentary elections, was banned from voting after he refused to remove his mask at a polling station in Kiev, causing a fracas with officials who he blamed for depriving him of his right to vote.

Vader, who the Central Election Commission said had legally changed his name, is running on the Internet Party of Ukraine’s ticket, along with Chewbacca and a slew of other Star Wars characters. In one of the party's campaign ads, Vader appears playing the "Imperial March" on a traditional Ukrainian bandura

Video footage published on Sunday by Radio Svoboda, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Ukrainian service, shows Vader rolling up to a polling station atop a black van, with “Imperial March” blaring from a mounted speaker, before flashing his passport to an election official inside who asks him to remove his mask. Read more...

The Sith Lord, a candidate in Ukraine’s parliamentary elections, was banned from voting after he refused to remove his mask at a polling station in Kiev, causing a fracas with officials who he blamed for depriving him of his right to vote.

Vader, who the Central Election Commission said had legally changed his name, is running on the Internet Party of Ukraine’s ticket, along with Chewbacca and a slew of other Star Wars characters. In one of the party's campaign ads, Vader appears playing the "Imperial March" on a traditional Ukrainian bandura

Video footage published on Sunday by Radio Svoboda, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Ukrainian service, shows Vader rolling up to a polling station atop a black van, with “Imperial March” blaring from a mounted speaker, before flashing his passport to an election official inside who asks him to remove his mask. Read more...

Kicking off this year's campaign is a woman driving through Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital city. A video uploaded to YouTube by the Oct. 26 Saudi Women Driving Campaign shows her discussing how shameful the driving ban is toward women. In the United Arab Emirates, women can fly jets to fight the Islamic State, but she could be called a terrorist just for driving a car, the woman says in the video. Read more...

Kicking off this year's campaign is a woman driving through Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital city. A video uploaded to YouTube by the Oct. 26 Saudi Women Driving Campaign shows her discussing how shameful the driving ban is toward women. In the United Arab Emirates, women can fly jets to fight the Islamic State, but she could be called a terrorist just for driving a car, the woman says in the video. Read more...

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he stands behind the state's decision to issue a mandatory quarantine for medical workers returning to the U.S. from Ebola-stricken countries.

In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Christie said the 21-day quarantine for those considered "high risk," who are returning home through airports in New York and New Jersey, is likely just the start of a larger requirement nationwide.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he stands behind the state's decision to issue a mandatory quarantine for medical workers returning to the U.S. from Ebola-stricken countries.

In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Christie said the 21-day quarantine for those considered "high risk," who are returning home through airports in New York and New Jersey, is likely just the start of a larger requirement nationwide.

MARIUPOL, Ukraine – Despite the palpable threat of war, residents of this strategically important seaside city near the front lines of Ukraine’s war against pro-Russian separatists turned out to the polls on Sunday to vote for a new parliament.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for the snap vote after dissolving the current parliament in August. He hopes the vote will solidify a new European path for Ukraine after protesters overthrew the country’s Russia-leaning president, Viktor Yanukovych, in February.

The turnout in Mariupol, which has around 450,000 residents, was high considering its proximity to the front lines of the ongoing fight. Rebels armed to the teeth with weapons that Kiev and the West say were gifted to them by Moscow have positioned themselves less than 20 miles away near the town of Novoazovsk.

Sitting on the edge of the Sea of Azov, Mariupol is of strategic importance due to its port. For the Russian-backed separatists, it is also needed should Russia create a land bridge to the Crimean Peninsula, which the country invaded and later annexed in March. Read more...

MARIUPOL, Ukraine – Despite the palpable threat of war, residents of this strategically important seaside city near the front lines of Ukraine’s war against pro-Russian separatists turned out to the polls on Sunday to vote for a new parliament.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for the snap vote after dissolving the current parliament in August. He hopes the vote will solidify a new European path for Ukraine after protesters overthrew the country’s Russia-leaning president, Viktor Yanukovych, in February.

The turnout in Mariupol, which has around 450,000 residents, was high considering its proximity to the front lines of the ongoing fight. Rebels armed to the teeth with weapons that Kiev and the West say were gifted to them by Moscow have positioned themselves less than 20 miles away near the town of Novoazovsk.

Sitting on the edge of the Sea of Azov, Mariupol is of strategic importance due to its port. For the Russian-backed separatists, it is also needed should Russia create a land bridge to the Crimean Peninsula, which the country invaded and later annexed in March. Read more...

WASHINGTON — Mandatory 21-day quarantines on health care workers returning from Ebola-ravaged West Africa, like those put in place by three states, can have the unintended consequence of discouraging them from volunteering, a top federal health official said Sunday.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that as a physician and scientist, he would have recommended against a quarantine.

"The best way to protect us is to stop the epidemic in Africa, and we need those health care workers so we do not want to put them in a position where it makes it very, very uncomfortable for them to even volunteer to go." he said. Read more...

WASHINGTON — Mandatory 21-day quarantines on health care workers returning from Ebola-ravaged West Africa, like those put in place by three states, can have the unintended consequence of discouraging them from volunteering, a top federal health official said Sunday.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that as a physician and scientist, he would have recommended against a quarantine.

"The best way to protect us is to stop the epidemic in Africa, and we need those health care workers so we do not want to put them in a position where it makes it very, very uncomfortable for them to even volunteer to go." he said. Read more...